Asia Audiobooks | History

Chinese History: The Chinese Civil War, Han Dynasty, Taiwan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, Taiping Rebell

Kelly Mass (Author), Digital Voice Marcus G (Narrator)

Audiobook

History of Taiwan: Its Challenges, Separation from China, and More

"This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. The island of Taiwan has been inhabited by humans for tens of thousands of years, with archaeological evidence of an agricultural society emerging around 3000 BC, likely reflecting the arrival of Taiwan's indigenous peoples' ancestors. Contact between the Chinese and Taiwan began in the late 13th to early 17th centuries, followed by waves of migration from mainland China, especially Hoklo settlers from Fujian and Guangdong provinces crossing the Taiwan Strait. In the 17th century, the Dutch colonized Taiwan but were soon challenged by the Spanish in the north. The Dutch expelled the Spanish in 1642, only to lose control themselves when Ming loyalist Koxinga defeated them in 1662 and established a base on the island. After the Qing dynasty defeated Koxinga's forces in 1683, Taiwan was increasingly absorbed into the Qing Empire. After losing the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895, the Qing ceded Taiwan and the Penghu islands to the Japanese Empire. Under Japanese rule, Taiwan produced rice and sugar and served as a staging ground for Japan's invasion of Southeast Asia and the Pacific in WWII. The Japanese instituted their school system in Taiwan and many Taiwanese soldiers fought for Japan."

Kelly Mass (Author), Digital Voice Marcus G (Narrator)

Audiobook

Taiping Rebellion: History of China’s 19th-Century Civil War

"This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. The Taiping Rebellion, alternatively termed the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Revolution, unfolded in China pitting the Manchu Qing dynasty against the Han, Hakka-led Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Spanning from 1850 to 1864, its echoes reverberated beyond, with the final rebel faction quelled only in August 1871, post the fall of Tianjing. The uprising sparked subsequent revolts, notably the ephemeral Heavenly Kingdom of the Great Mingshun in 1903, directly influenced by the Taiping. Despite the victory of the established Qing regime, it came at a staggering cost, both financially and politically, navigating through one of history's deadliest civil conflicts, which claimed an estimated 20 to 30 million lives. At the helm of the rebellion stood Hong Xiuquan, an ethnic Hakka, who proclaimed himself the sibling of Jesus Christ. His ambitions were multifaceted, blending theological, nationalist, and political aspirations. Hong's vision extended beyond religious conversion; he aimed to dismantle the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty and engineer a radical overhaul of the nation's structure. Rather than merely targeting the ruling class, the Taipings sought to dismantle China's societal and ethical framework. Erecting the Heavenly Kingdom with Tianjing (now Nanjing) as its nucleus, they commanded sway over vast swathes of southern China, eventually encompassing a populace nearing 30 million."

Kelly Mass (Author), Digital Voice Marcus G (Narrator)

Audiobook

Chinese Civil War: The Conflicts in the Mid-1900s That Led to China’s Communist Regime

"This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. The Chinese Civil War, spanning from 1927 to 1949, was a prolonged internal conflict within China. It pitted the Kuomintang (KMT)-led government of the Republic of China (ROC) against the forces of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Initially, from August 1927 to 1937, the KMT-CCP Alliance disintegrated during the Northern Expedition, allowing the Nationalists to assert control over most of China. However, between 1937 and 1945, hostilities paused as the Second United Front combated the Japanese invasion with assistance from the World War II Allies. After the defeat of Japan, the civil strife resumed, with the CCP gaining momentum in the decisive phase known as the Chinese Communist Revolution, lasting from 1945 to 1949. In 1949, the Communists seized power in mainland China, establishing the People's Republic of China (PRC) and compelling the leadership of the Republic of China to retreat to Taiwan. Since the 1950s, Taiwan and mainland China have remained in a political and military standoff, both claiming to be the legitimate government of all China. While tensions persist, overt conflict has largely ceased since the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1979, although no formal peace agreement has been reached."

Kelly Mass (Author), Digital Voice Marcus G (Narrator)

Audiobook

Han Dynasty: The Ancient Era That Helped China Develop

"This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. The Han dynasty, established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu from 202 BC to 220 AD, marked China's second imperial era. It succeeded the brief Qin dynasty (221–206 BC) and the chaotic period known as the Chu–Han contention (206–202 BC). The Han dynasty experienced a brief interruption with Wang Mang's Xin dynasty (9–23 AD) before being divided into the Western Han (202 BC – 9 AD) and the Eastern Han (25–220 AD) periods, ultimately giving way to the Three Kingdoms era. Regarded as a pinnacle in Chinese history, the Han dynasty spanned four centuries and profoundly shaped Chinese culture. Its influence persists to this day, evident in the self-identification of the majority ethnic group in China as 'Han people,' the designation of the Sinitic language as 'Han language,' and the reference to written Chinese as 'Han characters.' At the apex of Han society stood the emperor, wielding supreme authority over the empire. While the emperor held the highest position, power was shared with the nobility and appointed ministers, many of whom hailed from the educated gentry class. The Han Empire comprised territories directly governed by the central administration, termed commanderies, alongside semi-autonomous kingdoms inherited from the Qin dynasty. However, following the Rebellion of the Seven States, these kingdoms gradually lost their autonomy."

Kelly Mass (Author), Digital Voice Marcus G (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ming and Qing Dynasties: China’s Time during the Late Middle Ages

"This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. After the fall of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty, China came under the rule of the Ming dynasty, officially known as the Great Ming, from 1368 to 1644. This period marked the culmination of Han Chinese rule in imperial China. Despite the initial rebellion led by Li Zicheng, resulting in the formation of the short-lived Shun dynasty, followed swiftly by the rise of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, remnants of the Ming royal family persisted in various southern regions, collectively known as the Southern Ming, until 1662. Under the reign of the Hongwu Emperor, who ruled from 1368 to 1398, efforts were made to establish self-sufficient rural communities structured within a rigid societal framework. This system aimed to maintain a permanent class of soldiers loyal to the Ming dynasty. The military strength of the empire flourished, boasting a standing army of over one million troops, while the navy's shipyards in Nanjing became renowned as the largest in the world. Furthermore, the Hongwu Emperor endeavored to weaken the influence of court eunuchs and other powerful figures by dispersing his numerous sons across the realm and imparting guidance through the Huang-Ming Zuxun, a compilation of dynastic instructions. However, his plans faced setbacks when his successor, the Jianwen Emperor, sought to curb the authority of his uncles. This led to the Jingnan campaign, a rebellion that brought the Yongle Emperor, Prince of Yan, to power in 1402."

Kelly Mass (Author), Digital Voice Marcus G (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Silk Road: History of an Impressive Trading Route across the Eastern Hemisphere

"This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. Between the 2nd century BCE and the mid-15th century, an intricate web of commercial paths known as the Silk Road spanned Eurasia. This extensive network facilitated a dynamic exchange of commerce, culture, politics, and religion between the Eastern and Western hemispheres, covering a vast distance of over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles). Some contemporary historians advocate for the term 'Silk Routes' instead of 'Silk Road' to more accurately reflect the complex interconnections of land and sea routes linking East and Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Africa, and Europe. The name 'Silk Road' originates from the lucrative trade in silk fabrics, primarily produced in China. Its origins trace back to approximately 114 BCE when the Han dynasty expanded into Central Asia, thereby stabilizing the previously turbulent region. Imperial envoy Zhang Qian embarked on exploratory missions beyond the territory to seek potential trading partners and establish diplomatic relations. These ventures spurred Chinese interest, leading to formalized diplomatic ties, commercial exchanges, and efforts to safeguard the routes through military presence and extensions of the Great Wall."

Kelly Mass (Author), Digital Voice Marcus G (Narrator)

Audiobook

Coming Out as Dalit: A Memoir of Surviving India's Caste System (Updated Edition)

"For readers of Caste, the coming-of-age story of a Dalit individual that illuminates systemic injustice in India and its growing impact on US society "A moving personal story and a useful educational examination of persistent discrimination"-Kirkus Reviews Winner of the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puruskar, 2020 Born into a "formerly untouchable manual-scavenging family in small-town India," Yashica Dutt was taught from a young age to not appear "Dalit looking." Although prejudice against Dalits, who compose 25% of the population, has been illegal since 1950, caste-ism in India is alive and well. Blending her personal history with extensive research and reporting, Dutt provides an incriminating analysis of caste's influence in India over everything from entertainment to judicial systems and how this discrimination has carried over to US institutions. Dutt traces how colonial British forces exploited and perpetuated a centuries-old caste system, how Gandhi could have been more forceful in combatting prejudice, and the role played by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, whom Isabel Wilkerson called "the MLK of India's caste issues" in her book Caste. Alongside her analysis, Dutt interweaves personal stories of learning to speak without a regional accent growing up and desperately using medicinal packs to try to lighten her skin. Published in India in 2019 to acclaim, this expanded edition includes 2 new chapters covering how the caste system traveled to the US, its history here, and the continuation of bias by South Asian communities in professional sectors. Amid growing conversations about caste discrimination prompting US institutions including Harvard University, Brandeis University, the University of California system, and the NAACP to add caste as a protected category to their policies, Dutt's work sheds essential light on the significant influence caste-ism has across many aspects of US society. Raw and affecting, Coming Out as Dalit brings a new audience of readers into a crucial conversation about embracing Dalit identity, offering a way to change the way people think about caste in their own communities and beyond."

Yashica Dutt (Author), Janina Edwards (Narrator)

Audiobook

Slow Noodles: A Cambodian Memoir of Love, Loss, and Family Recipes

"A haunting and beautiful memoir from a Cambodian refugee who lost her country and her family during Pol Pot's genocide in the 1970s but who finds hope by reclaiming the recipes she tasted in her mother's kitchen. Take a well-fed nine-year-old with a big family and a fancy education. Fold in 2 revolutions, 2 civil wars, and one wholesale extermination. Subtract a reliable source of food, life savings, and family members, until all are gone. Shave down childhood dreams for approximately two decades, until only subsistence remains. In Slow Noodles, Chantha Nguon recounts her life as a Cambodia refugee who lost everything and everyone-her house, her country, her parents, her siblings, her friends-everything but the memories of her mother's kitchen, the tastes and aromas of the foods her mother made before the dictator Pol Pot tore her country apart in the 1970s, killing millions of her compatriots. Nguon's irrepressible spirit and determination come through in this emotional and poignant but also lyrical and magical memoir that includes over 20 recipes for Khmer dishes like chicken lime soup, banh sung noodles, pâté de foie, curries, spring rolls, and stir-fries. For Nguon, recreating these dishes becomes an act of resistance, of reclaiming her place in the world, of upholding the values the Khmer Rouge sought to destroy, and of honoring the memory of her beloved mother. From her idyllic early years in Battambang to hiding as a young girl in Phnom Penh as the country purges ethnic Vietnamese like Nguon and her family, from her escape to Saigon to the deaths of mother and sister there, from the poverty and devastation she experiences in a war-ravaged Vietnam to her decision to flee the country. We follow Chantha on a harrowing river crossing into Thailand-part of the exodus that gave rise to the name "boat people"-and her decades in a refugee camp there, until finally, denied passage to the West, she returns to a forever changed Cambodia. Nguon survives by cooking in a brothel, serving drinks in a nightclub, making and selling street food, becoming a suture-nurse treating refugees abused by Thai authorities, and weaving silk. Through it all, Nguon relies on her mother's "slow noodles" approach to healing and to cooking, one that prioritizes time and care over expediency. Haunting and evocative, Slow Noodles is a testament to the power of culinary heritage to spark the rebirth of a young woman's hopes for a beautiful life. "I've never read a book that made me weep, wince, laugh out loud, and rejoice like Slow Noodles. In Chantha Nguon's harrowing, wise, and fiercely feminist memoir, cooking is a language-of love, remembrance, and rebellion-and stories are nourishment." -Maggie Smith, New York Times bestselling author of You Could Make This Place Beautiful"

Chantha Nguon (Author), Clara Kim (Narrator)

Audiobook

Revolusi: Indonesia and the Birth of the Modern World

"Brought to you by Penguin. **Shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize 2024** A story of staggering scope and drama, Revolusi is the masterful and definitive account of the epic revolution that sparked the decolonisation of the modern world. *SHORTLISTED FOR THE CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZE 2024* On a sunny Friday morning in August 1945, a handful of tired people raised a homemade cotton flag and on behalf of 68 million compatriots announced the birth of a new nation: Indonesia. Four million civilians had died during the Japanese wartime occupation that ousted its Dutch colonial regime. Another 200,000 people would lose their lives in the astonishingly brutal conflict that ensued - as the Dutch used savage violence to reassert their control, and as Britain and America became embroiled in pacifying Indonesia's guerrilla war of resistance: the 'Revolusi'. It was not until December 1949 that the newly created United Nations finally brought the conflict an end - and with it, 350 years of colonial rule - setting a precedent that would reshape the world. Drawing on hundreds of interviews and eye-witness testimonies, David Van Reybrouck turns this vast and complex story into an utterly gripping narrative that is alive with human detail at every turn. A landmark publication, Revolusi shows Indonesia's struggle for independence to be one of the defining dramas of the twentieth century. 'Astounding . . . history at its best' Yuval Noah Harari 'Utterly compelling . . . masterful' Financial Times *Summer Reads 2024* 'Superb' Guardian 'A magnificent fusion of oral history, sparkling analysis, and historical wisdom. Revolusi has it all: a masterpiece' SEBASTIAN MALLABY 'One of the most unlikely and astonishing sagas ... a towering achievement' THOMAS MEANEY 'A magisterial but gripping account of events of urgent importance to us now' JASON BURKE 'At once vast and intimate, a history in colour' LAKSMI PAMUNTJAK 'A masterly display of the historian’s craft' J M COETZEE 'A wonderful and important book' PETER FRANKOPAN ©2024 David Van Reybrouck (P)2024 Penguin Audio"

David Van Reybrouck (Author), Neil Gardner (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Political Thought of Xi Jinping

"Over the course of the last half dozen years, China's supreme leader Xi Jinping has made extraordinary changes which have profound implications not only for the Chinese people but nations throughout the world. Given how swiftly and fundamentally China's relations with the rest of the world are changing under Xi's rule, it is imperative that we know what Xi Jinping Thought is, how it evolved, and why it is so important. In The Political Thought of Xi Jinping, Steve Tsang and Olivia Cheung provide an authoritative overview of what 'Xi Jinping Thought' is and is not and what it means for both China and the world. Xi, now effectively leader for life, has worked to ensure that 'Xi Jinping Thought' becomes cemented as the new state ideology. Clearly inspired by the doctrine of 'Mao Zedong Thought,' which shaped the parameters of acceptable thinking for a quarter century, Xi wants his doctrine to define what he calls the 'China Dream of national rejuvenation' and serve the pathway to its fulfillment by 2050. Drawing from original research of Xi's speeches, writings, and policies, Tsang and Cheung conceptualize Xi's vision independently from interpretations provided by the Chinese Communist Party or other sources. They further examine and explain how Xi seeks to transform this vision into reality."

Olivia Cheung, Steve Tsang (Author), Rebecca Lam (Narrator)

Audiobook

Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture

"SHORTLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE In 1903, a young woman sailed from India to Guiana as a 'coolie'—the British name for indentured laborers who replaced the newly emancipated slaves on sugar plantations all around the world. Pregnant and traveling alone, this woman, like so many coolies, disappeared into history. In Coolie Woman, her great-granddaughter Gaiutra Bahadur embarks on a journey into the past to find her. Traversing three continents and trawling through countless colonial archives, Bahadur excavates not only her great-grandmother's story but also the repressed history of some quarter of a million other coolie women, shining a light on their complex lives. Shunned by society, and sometimes in mortal danger, many coolie women were either runaways, widows, or outcasts. Many of them left husbands and families behind to migrate alone in epic sea voyages—traumatic 'middle passages'—only to face a life of hard labor, dismal living conditions, and sexual exploitation. Coolie Woman is a meditation on survival, a gripping story of a double diaspora—from India to the West Indies in one century, Guyana to the United States in the next—that is at once a search for one's roots and an exploration of gender and power, peril and opportunity."

Gaiutra Bahadur (Author), Gaiutra Bahadur (Narrator)

Audiobook

Asia Audiobooks in History